PHILOSOPHY: “How do you write? You write, man, you write, that's how, and you do it the way the old English walnut tree puts forth leaf and fruit every year by the thousands...If you practice an art faithfully, it will make you wise... “ --William Saroyan
pUNITS: With a strong focus on writing, we explore different conditions of the human race through literature and writing. Units include such topics as: mythology and Bible stories/ multicultural young adult literature/ African American life in America/social justice through the lens of the Native American, African -American, or Holocaust experience, media literacy/folklore/personal essay writing/audio production.
EXPECTATIONS: My students are professionals—that is, they demonstrate professionalism throughout the class. I expect students to arrive on time, be courteous and congenial, come prepared to work, sit up in class, actively listen, participate in the learning activities, and keep their notebooks neat and organized. The LA classroom is a laboratory for students to discover the power of the written and spoken word. The process of discovery takes place in a safe environment where productive and cooperative learners share, peer-edit and publish their work. Every student is expected to come to class equipped for the work at hand with a stocked pencil case, A- or B-day loose-leaf book with paper, and agenda. All completed work is filed in portfolios that are maintained in the classroom and notebooks contain all hand-outs, classroom notes, and writing drafts for the year. Homework is practice towards mastery and as professionals; students are expected to complete all homework assignments on time.
CLASSROOM RULES:
Do not curtail nor interfere with another's right to learn.
Be in seats by the time the bell rings.
Respect others. Do not use profanity, name-calling, or disruptive behavior.
Take care of yourself, others, and the school environment. Be sure to gather your belongings and leave seating area neat before departure.
Do not plagiarize. Plagiarism may result in a 0 grade or sometimes students are given 24 hours to complete an alternative assignment
Take notes during lecture and board work.
Although writing-centric, the classes are standards-based seventh and eighth-grade curriculum. I try to present material not only through lectures with note-taking, but through group discussion, as well. I offer various means of assessment, including group activities, visual arts, PowerPoint presentations and student performances/ presentations. Vocabulary, grammar, and reading tests are always announced. Quizzes may be announced or unannounced. You will read assigned and independently-selected novels, deliver book talks, and design mini-book reports. Students do projects and use an Internet –based software, www.Grammarkeyonline.com, to practice grammar. You must achieve a minimum 95% on a given Grammarkey unit in order to earn the practice/study credit of 10 points per lesson. We write in different genres, taking our writing through the process from brainstorming to publishing. Each graded activity will be assigned a point value. Typically 10-50 points for a quiz; 100 points for a test; 50 points for dictionary work for vocabulary and writing stories that incorporate vocabulary words; 50-100 for completion of different steps of writing projects for major projects. Your overall grade will be determined by adding the total points that you have received and dividing that by the number of points possible. For example, if you received 425 out of a possible 500 points in the quarter, you would receive an 85%.
DUE DATES: Overnight assignments should be completed for the next day’s class; however, for the first half of the school year, students are given 24 hours to get a missing assignment in. Any assignment turned in later than the next day will receive a zero. After the mid-year point, you will be expected to complete assignments on time. Students may work with other students on assignments if I have said it is allowed for that particular assignment, such as dictionary work for vocabulary. Written assignments that appear to be copied will receive a zero and possible disciplinary action for all those involved.
ABSENCE: Try to avoid missing class as much as possible. It is difficult to makeup some types of learning independently. After returning from an excused absence, you must ask me what work you need make up. Sometimes you will be given alternative makeup work. As stated in the Student Handbook, for each day absent you have one day to make up the assignment.
MATERIALS: Every day, you will need a writing utensil (dark blue or black pen), a grading utensil (red, green, purple, or light blue pen), highlighter, notebook, and agenda. Assigned novels must travel to and from school in a plastic bag or book cover. Sometimes you will have to bring materials from home for classroom projects. Typically, those materials are from magazines or are recyclables. Keep extra school supplies in your locker--not at home--so that they are available when you need materials for class.
CONTACT INFORMATION: If you or your parent/guardian has a question or concern, please contact me as soon as possible. Talk to me before or after class. I am generally available at lunch time and after school and at tutoring time. I am always available by email at: ablake@ysschools.org
PHILOSOPHY: “How do you write? You write, man, you write, that's how, and you do it the way the old English walnut tree puts forth leaf and fruit every year by the thousands...If you practice an art faithfully, it will make you wise... “ --William Saroyan
pUNITS: With a strong focus on writing, we explore different conditions of the human race through literature and writing. Units include such topics as: mythology and Bible stories/ multicultural young adult literature/ African American life in America/social justice through the lens of the Native American, African -American, or Holocaust experience, media literacy/folklore/personal essay writing/audio production.
EXPECTATIONS: My students are professionals—that is, they demonstrate professionalism throughout the class. I expect students to arrive on time, be courteous and congenial, come prepared to work, sit up in class, actively listen, participate in the learning activities, and keep their notebooks neat and organized. The LA classroom is a laboratory for students to discover the power of the written and spoken word. The process of discovery takes place in a safe environment where productive and cooperative learners share, peer-edit and publish their work. Every student is expected to come to class equipped for the work at hand with a stocked pencil case, A- or B-day loose-leaf book with paper, and agenda. All completed work is filed in portfolios that are maintained in the classroom and notebooks contain all hand-outs, classroom notes, and writing drafts for the year. Homework is practice towards mastery and as professionals; students are expected to complete all homework assignments on time.
CLASSROOM RULES:
Take notes during lecture and board work.
Although writing-centric, the classes are standards-based seventh and eighth-grade curriculum. I try to present material not only through lectures with note-taking, but through group discussion, as well. I offer various means of assessment, including group activities, visual arts, PowerPoint presentations and student performances/ presentations. Vocabulary, grammar, and reading tests are always announced. Quizzes may be announced or unannounced. You will read assigned and independently-selected novels, deliver book talks, and design mini-book reports. Students do projects and use an Internet –based software, www.Grammarkeyonline.com, to practice grammar. You must achieve a minimum 95% on a given Grammarkey unit in order to earn the practice/study credit of 10 points per lesson. We write in different genres, taking our writing through the process from brainstorming to publishing. Each graded activity will be assigned a point value. Typically 10-50 points for a quiz; 100 points for a test; 50 points for dictionary work for vocabulary and writing stories that incorporate vocabulary words; 50-100 for completion of different steps of writing projects for major projects. Your overall grade will be determined by adding the total points that you have received and dividing that by the number of points possible. For example, if you received 425 out of a possible 500 points in the quarter, you would receive an 85%.
DUE DATES: Overnight assignments should be completed for the next day’s class; however, for the first half of the school year, students are given 24 hours to get a missing assignment in. Any assignment turned in later than the next day will receive a zero. After the mid-year point, you will be expected to complete assignments on time. Students may work with other students on assignments if I have said it is allowed for that particular assignment, such as dictionary work for vocabulary. Written assignments that appear to be copied will receive a zero and possible disciplinary action for all those involved.
ABSENCE: Try to avoid missing class as much as possible. It is difficult to makeup some types of learning independently. After returning from an excused absence, you must ask me what work you need make up. Sometimes you will be given alternative makeup work. As stated in the Student Handbook, for each day absent you have one day to make up the assignment.
MATERIALS: Every day, you will need a writing utensil (dark blue or black pen), a grading utensil (red, green, purple, or light blue pen), highlighter, notebook, and agenda. Assigned novels must travel to and from school in a plastic bag or book cover. Sometimes you will have to bring materials from home for classroom projects. Typically, those materials are from magazines or are recyclables. Keep extra school supplies in your locker--not at home--so that they are available when you need materials for class.
CONTACT INFORMATION: If you or your parent/guardian has a question or concern, please contact me as soon as possible. Talk to me before or after class. I am generally available at lunch time and after school and at tutoring time. I am always available by email at: ablake@ysschools.org